Dr. M. C. Gupta's Journal

WHAT IS THE NAXAL-MAOIST PROBLEM?

WHAT IS THE NAXAL-MAOIST PROBLEM?


[Causes of and suggestions for the Naxal-Maoist uprising in India.]








This brief, not in-depth write up, is meant to state my views and to invite discussion.








WHAT IS THE REASON THAT NAXALISM-MAOISM PERSISTS?





The root cause is the shameless neglect of tribals and their exploitation by non-tribals, including the government, as if they are the children of a lesser god. The tribals are simple hearted, poor, powerless, isolated and illiterate. They remained so for long.





FIRST, they hoped that the great leader, India’s first prime minister, will one day find time to lessen their exploitation after he had had enough of his exploits. That did not materialize. His infatuation with many weaknesses, including that for Hindi-Chini Bhai-Bhai and the communist VKK, brought him the 1962 defeat followed by death soon after, due to syphilis of the aorta.





THEN, they were taken in by the charisma of his daughter. India’s first lady prime minister, who succeeded LBS, whose death was shrouded in mystery. In their ignorance, they conferred upon her the same devotion that is reserved in India for the saintly person whose surname she, rather surreptitiously shared. She gave the slogan Garibi Hatao. The slogan never materialized in India. It never reached the tribal lands. 





THEN came out in the open the dictatorial streak. The constitution was subverted, emergency was proclaimed and the fundamental right to life and liberty was taken away from the citizens. No wonder the tribals could not hope and did not get anything during the lady PM’s regime.





MID-NINETIES saw sudden and revolutionary bursting out of mass media—multiple TV channels; internet; mobile phone etc. The illiterates could not read, but the spurt of mass media enabled the tribals, at least to some extent, to see and know and discuss what was happening in the world around them, including the filthy riches that were openly displayed by those who grabbed tribal lands.





THE RESULT was an awakening against the society and the government. Since they were poor, starving and exploited and tortured by the city dwellers, with no one, including the police and the judiciary, to listen to their tales of woe and injustice, they turned to whosoever came to their help. Those who came were the Naxalites and the Maoists. These revolutionaries, who often grew from the roots, gave help and succor to the tribals and punished, severely, the perceived tormentors. As often happens, the revolutionaries had their own agenda and the tribals were often afraid of them because any informer or any non-supporter of their cause was dealt with severely.





Naxalism-Maoism persists because the government has not extended a helping hand to more than 10% of its citizens, the tribals. They have accepted the hand of whosoever approached them and promised help.








WHAT SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT DO?








STEP ONE—Provide succor and wherewithal to tribals—food, health facilities and jobs to start with.





STEP TWO—Provide land rights.





STEP THREE—Guarantee and ensure protection and provision of their fundamental rights to justice, education and health.





No step four will be needed.








M C Gupta


2 May 2010